Middletown Forum : Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/ This is an XML content feed of; Middletown Forum : City Manager : Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report Wed, 07 Oct 2026 03:18:36 +0000 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:06:31 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 10.12 360 www.middletownusa.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=1942 Middletown Forum http://middletownusa.com/images/blog-logo.jpg http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/ Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report : Ya know Vivian, getting the grass... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11145&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11145 Author: VietVet
Subject: 1942
Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 12:06pm

Ya know Vivian, getting the grass mowed at the vacant house next door to you isn't as monumental as the city leads us to believe. For cryin' out loud, if the city is that strapped for cash and manning resources, create a summer mowing program that will hire high school or college kids trying to earn some tuition money and put 'em to work mowing the lawns of all these abandoned houses around town. Pay 'em and send the mowing bill to the landlord, bank or deed owner of the property to recover the funds. What happened to the idea of using cheap resources to solve a problem like this? If the house next to you is in foreclosure, isn't it in the process of being returned to the bank that made the loan to the homeowner who vacated the property? The bank is holding the deed to the property. Right? Is the city pushing these banks that own all of this vacant property to maintain (mow-paint) their properties? If not, why not? Anyone know how this works?]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:06:31 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11145&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11145 Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report : Vet The house next door to me... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11143&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11143 Author: Vivian Moon
Subject: 1942
Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 10:49am

Vet
    The house next door to me has been empty for two years. I mowed the grass last year. However due to a health problem I called in April and requested the City mow the grass this year. They came out in May and string trimmed the yard and left the mess. When I called the City and requested that the next time they did the yard would they please use a mower so it would look decent I received a nasty email from Mr. Adkins. They have never returned to mow the yard again.
    The above house is in foreclosure. Why can’t they find out who owns this property and or apply a lien against it?
    You would think that the homeowner should mow from the front curb to the back ally.  ]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:49:57 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11143&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11143 Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report : From Nelson Self -- I recently... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11142&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11142 Author: Rail Fan
Subject: 1942
Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 10:36am

From Nelson Self --
 
I recently promised never again to post anything on the MiddletownUSA blog.  However, after reading the misleading information from Miss Gilleland in her weekly Misinformation report to the City Council, I felt that the citizens of Middletown needed to know the real truth:
 
Subj:9/13/2009 Weekly (Misinformation) Update From City Manager To City Council?? 
Date:9/15/2009 10:24:18 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
From:Nelsonself
To:vivianmoon@juno.com, suzannhayes@sbcglobal.net, jerryglover@att.net, Paul@PaulRenwick.com, wleap@cinci.rr.com, drbronston2001@yahoo.com, cgrimes5@cinci.rr.com, smallcreekpress@msn.com, mprest@erinet.com, ascherrer@siscom.net, GLB@cinci.rr.com, dongardner@fuse.net, rlewis@xponex.com
CC:erichter@coxohio.com
 
< name=GENERATOR ="MS 8.00.6001.18812">
 
Weekly%20Up%20Date%20From%20City%20Manager%20To%20City%20Council%20September%2013,&#13;&#10;2009
 
Response to Nuisance Assessments Misinformation

Quotes from Judy Gilleland:  The Finance Department has submitted the 2009 nuisance assessments to Butler and Warren Counties for placement on the property taxes.  The totals are approximately:
 
Noxious Weeds    $333,000
Litter                       78,000

In comparison, last year’s billing were $133,593 for Butler County.  The increase is more directly linked to our increase in enforcement and abatement, but the downturn in the economy has not helped with blight.  While this is capital upfront, it is well spent since we have made it a priority to aggressively enhance our city image.
 
FACTUAL CHRONOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO MISS GILLELAND'S INACCURACIES
 
January 2, 2007 -- First day at work for Nelson Self; three CDBG-funded Housing Code Division staff members at that time:  Annette Accurso, Housing Code Inspector, Cathy Walton, Housing Code Inspector and Debbi Fish, Housing Code Assistant
 
Fall 2007 -- Marty Kohler makes arrangement with Police Department to transfer Nuisance Abatement function to me; at that time there were two Nuisance Abatement Inspectors and one Nuisance Abatement Assistant; one inspector retires and Mary Jane Adams is transferred to the Planning Department; Police Department is allowed to keep Assistant (Secretary) on their staff.
 
November 2007 -- Cathy Walton resigns to take higher paying Housing Code Enforcement position in West Chester
 
February or March 2008 -- Marty Kohler hires Michelle Hoffman as full-time temporary Nuisance Abatement Assistant rather than hiring a second inspector; Mary Jane Adams voices complaints that Mr. Kohler hires a secretary rather than an inspector
 
July 2008  -- Roger Mahaffey hired to fill vacant position of Cathy Walton; Ginger Smith and Marty Kohler agree that I not participate in hiring process; position vacant for almost eight months
 
October or November 2008 -- Mrs. Hoffman's temporary position ends
 
January 2009 -- Nelson Self leaves city employment
 
The above provides ample proof that factors beyond my control impacted staff and program performance.  Miss Gilleland should speak with Mr. Kohler first before disseminating misleading public information!  How about it Ed Richter??
]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:36:34 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11142&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11142 Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report : #1- &#034;complaints regarding... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11140&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11140 Author: VietVet
Subject: 1942
Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 10:01am

#1- "complaints regarding OUR contractors failing to finish the job"- For clarification- are these contractors hired by the city to do work on these properties? If these complaints that the contractors are not finishing the job are legitimate, then the city screening of the quality of the contractors is poor or non-existent. If this is occuring, who in the city building is responsible for auditing the work done by these contractors?
#2- why can't the city find out who owns these properties? Aren't there records of ownership at the Butler County Auditors office? Can't that be researched by address of property? Surely the city can work with the Butler Cty. Auditor to find the answers.If the property is abandoned the property goes back to the bank that is holding the lien against the property, right? Can't the city contact the bank for property maintenance?

City alleys- isn't the property owner responsible for the upkeep up to the alley, which the city owns? In the front of the property, the care and upkeep up to the sidewalk and the grass in the median between the sidewalk and the curb is the responsibility of the property owner even though the city owns the sidewalk out to the curb. Why isn't the property owner responsible for the back of the lot back to the alley and any weeds that are growing up to the edge of the alley? Just curious.

Vacant and abandoned properties- gotta be owned by someone- bank, realtor, landlord- someone. Who has the deed? Why can't the city find out and enforce the codes on them? Can anyone with more knowledge on this clarify why these things can't be done?]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:01:42 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11140&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11140 Sept.13, 2009 Middletown City Managers Report : Taken from the September 13,... http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11130&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11130 Author: randy
Subject: 1942
Posted: Sep 15 2009 at 8:28am

Taken from the September 13, 2009 city Managers Report

Nuisance Assessments

The Finance Department has submitted the 2009 nuisance assessments toButler and Warren Counties for placement on the property taxes.  Thetotals are approx:
 
Noxious Weeds    $333,000
Litter                           78,000

Incomparison, last year’s billing were $133,593 for Butler County.  Theincrease is more directly linked to our increase in enforcement andabatement, but the downturn in the economy has not helped with blight. While this is capital upfront, it is well spent since we have made it apriority to aggressively enhance our city image.

Staff requestedan additional $25,000 for nuisance abatement; I decreased the requestto $15,000, which was then appropriated by Council at a recentmeeting. 

At the current pace of complaints and expendituresthe additional funds will be exhausted in approximately 4-6 weeks.  OurChief Buidling Official did a great job of summarizing our 4 possiblescenarios regarding the continued program of abatement:
 
1.   “Begin a policy of abating the nuisance complaints for curb appealonly.  In other words, only the front and/or side of the propertieswill be maintained.  This policy is currently being implemented.  Fromthe first day of implementation, complaints regarding our contractorsfailing to “finish the job” have been coming in with some complainantscalling multiple times to express their frustrations.

2.   Abatement of only the complaint driven nuisances. Currently, there area number of properties which are on an “Auto Recheck” list or if theyhave been previously contracted, they will be contracted again withoutthe notification to the Property Owner/Tenant.  Cutting out these autorechecks and auto contracted properties may reduce the total number ofcomplaints contracted; however there are so many properties in the Cityof Middletown that are vacant and/or considered abandoned for whomthere is no property owner to take responsibility this will mean agreat number of properties left unmaintained.

3.    Continue tocontract properties as before with no cut-back measures.  As previouslystated, the additional funds allotted will most likely be exhaustedwithin 4-6 weeks at our current level of contracting.  Once funds areexhausted, additional requests for funds may be required or a cessationof the program will be necessary.

4.    Stop the abatement ofnuisance complaints for city alleys.  As the summer comes to a close,the tall grass and weeds at alleys have the potential to become asafety hazard.
 
This year, Community Revitalization has steppedup its nuisance compliance program.  Coupled with the ever greaternumber of vacant and abandoned properties due to the economic downturnthe initial funds allotted for nuisance abatement was pushed beyond itsinitial limit. 
 
This office has made every effort toencourage property owners and tenants to abate these issues whereverpossible; again, given the economic climate, those efforts were notalways successful.  Despite the approach of fall, nuisance complaintfor trees, shrubs and tree limbs and trash will most likely continue tomake demands on our budget.”

We will do our best to balance thecomplaints against the nuisance abatement budget.  We may have toreturn to council for an additional appropriation.  Again, I believethat a couple of hundred thousand dollars per year (if we collect onlya portion of the assessments from property taxes) is money well spentas we spruce up the city.


To read the complete City Managers Report click here Weekly Update To city Council From City Manager
]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:28:54 +0000 http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1942&PID=11130&title=sept13-2009-middletown-city-managers-report#11130